Hello, I'm new to this forum (thanks Xanth for approving me) and I was hoping I could get some advice. I've been practicing meditation and astral projecting for over a year now and I'm having some trouble. When I first started, I would attempt to astral project, but with it always ending in failure. The closest I've gotten was with me leaving my body a few times, but only to force myself back into my body. This was mostly because it felt like something malevolent was trying to actually drag me out. The first time, my mind was flooded with images of me being stuck in some sort of labyrinth while being pursued by two entries I couldn't quite see, and then I began to astral project. I could feel the same presence while I was leaving my body as if though it couldn't wait to get me out of there, so I forced myself back. The second time, I felt like I was being drug out by my feet and was floating toward my closest (I was a bit creeped out by it at the time) and I could feel something I didn't like waiting for me there so I retreated back to my body. Another time I felt like something small but heavy, like an angry dog, jump on my astral body as I was about to leave and it began to growl at me. After all these experiences, I quit trying to astral project and just focused on meditation. After a good long while, I realized that all these negative experiences I've had must have been from my fear of what I would see on the other side. After I realized this (I had awakened my third eye prior to this realization) I would sometimes realize I was lucid dreaming and try to astral project, but would barely be able to get out of my body. But back to the problem at hand.

For two months I've been attempting an OBE, but I've only gotten very close. I can feel myself getting closer, but it's like I'm stuck. I attempt it when I'm a bit tired, but it can be hard since I'm only a senior in high school with 3 very loud younger brothers, which I decide to put on headphones and listen to binaural beats which helps greatly. Since I've been meditating for almost 2 years now, I can quickly get myself into a relaxed state and begin to feel sleep paralysis or either get into a very deep relaxed state. I get to the point where I can induce vibrations, but this is where I experience problems. I get to a point where I can actually feel my astral body separated from my physical one, but it's like Im stuck. I attempt to use different methods like seeing myself walking around, the rope method, attempting to roll out, all of that. I can begin to feel the vibrations and try to focus on them, and they can get pretty intense. But no matter how hard I focus, the images seem to fade away and so do the vibrations. I can attempt it over and over again, but its always like I'm in my astral body that's stuck in my physical. Also, whenever the vibrations start, my physical body behind to tense up, such as my abdomen and chest, and I have to make myself relax. Also, I find my eyes trying to involuntary open,or they twitch like crazy. The only times I've ever been able to leave my body is when I'm just about to accidentally fall asleep or if I bring myself out during a lucid dream. I've overcome my fear of anything I might see, and I haven't felt anything bad or malevolent after leaving my body, so I must've done that part right. Am I focusing too hard? Am I getting too excited when I feel the vibrations? I know that when you try to force yourself to astral project that it's usually unsuccessful, and I'm not sure that's my problem. I know this is probably insanely long, but since I have yet to have a full OBE, I'm hoping to get some advice from an experienced traveller.

You are actually doing better than you think. First there is absolutely nothing wrong with exiting from the LD state. Many (myself included) see LDs as projection so accordingly you are already projecting at that point.

Now here's the funny thing about relaxing and trying to exit. All that willing yourself to relax is actually keeping you focused on your physical being which is what you are trying not to do. See the irony?

For me, the vibrations mean I have a choice, exit now or exit later. If I want to exit now I just give in and let it happen, I ignore the body sensations as the body is gonna do what it does no matter. If I decide later then I go to sleep knowing I will wake in a full blown LD which works just as well. If nothing happens well then nothing happened. I have all the time in the world. It's all personal and truly depends on your own understanding and what works for you. That's something you will have to figure out.

Am I focusing too hard? Am I getting too excited when I feel the vibrations? I know that when you try to force yourself to astral project that it's usually unsuccessful, and I'm not sure that's my problem. I know this is probably insanely long, but since I have yet to have a full OBE, I'm hoping to get some advice from an experienced traveller.

What you describe reminds me a lot of my early experiences. I wouldn't say the mystery is solved yet but here is what I have come to believe.

Most of my early attempts were too engaged in carrying out a step by step process and in needing a successful outcome. This is further complicated by hidden fears that haven't been confronted at the conscious level before and anticipation of fear in the forthcoming experience.

I suffer from conditions of anxiety disorder and compulsive obsessive. This made it difficult to simply be and let the process unfold without a worry in the world.

Consider your own mind set and what it would take to be unflinchingly calm and stable with no attachment to any outcome in particular.